


Stargazer

by toasty_coconut



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26178523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toasty_coconut/pseuds/toasty_coconut
Summary: Standing within Luna Nova Tower’s top level, well past curfew, had not been the way Diana Cavendish had intended to spend her Thursday evening. However, when one puppy dog-eyed Atsuko Kagari came crawling to her door, astrology book in hand, begging for help with studying for the next day’s exam, Diana couldn’t easily turn her away.
Relationships: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Comments: 18
Kudos: 155





	Stargazer

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this story [while listening to this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2PcnJPooMU)! Please give it a listen! 
> 
> Written for Diakko Week 2020's theme of "stars/space".

“I think that one’s… Aquarius?”

“Very good. What about this one?”

“Uh… Orion?”

“No. Orion has a belt of three stars made up at its center, remember? Try again.”

“Oh! It’s Taurus!”

“Correct.”

Standing within Luna Nova Tower’s top level, well past curfew, had not been the way Diana Cavendish had intended to spend her Thursday evening. However, when one puppy dog-eyed Atsuko Kagari came crawling to her door, astrology book in hand, begging for help with studying for the next day’s exam, Diana couldn’t easily turn her away.

Well, by all means she could have. In fact, Hannah and Barbara had _encouraged_ her to do so. After all, Akko should have begun studying days ago. It was her own fault for putting it off until the absolute last minute. As Hannah had stated so kindly: _‘She made her bed. Now let her lay in it.’_

Hannah was right. Hannah was absolutely right.

And yet, there she was, standing beside Atsuko Kagari—watching as she jumped between peering through a telescope and jotting down notes in her textbook. To Diana, it was bad enough that she had been willing to assist Akko at all. It was even worse that she was doing it with an improperly acquired telescope, past curfew, in a restricted location.

But as Diana watched the way Akko knitted her brows together in thought, or the way her face gleamed with pride when she got an answer correct, or the way she bit her lip while scribbling away in her book, she was reminded why she jumped so many hurdles in the first place.

Her heart was just so _soft_ for this girl.

A year ago, Diana had wanted nothing to do with Akko. She could have cared less if she had gotten on the next plane home to Japan, never to return to England again. In fact, at the time, Diana would have believed Luna Nova to be better off for it. Akko was rambunctious, impulsive, quick tempered, bullheaded, and didn’t have any respect for tradition in the slightest.

But the more Diana unwittingly found herself around Akko, the more she learned that while, yes, she was absolutely all of those things, that there was also so much more. Akko was brave, loyal, kind to a fault, and, more than anything, she _adored_ magic. Akko adored magic so wholly that she was able to do something no one had been able to do for centuries— restore it.

Standing beside Akko on the edge of space, watching as magic poured into every crevice of the earth, was a memory Diana would always cherish. Akko had made her dream a reality—made her mother’s dream a reality. Now everyone else could know how wonderful magic truly was. And for that alone, Diana couldn’t _help_ but love every bit of Atsuko Kagari.

So, if Akko wanted to sneak out late at night to study for her astrology exam, then of course Diana would be right there with her—even if it opposed some of her personal codes of honor. She owed Akko that much.

Akko grinned, stepping away from the telescope. “I’m getting pretty good at this, if I do say so myself.”

“Getting better at identifying them, yes,” Diana agreed, lightly tapping Akko on the head with her book. “But that will only get you so far in class. You need to continue to practice interpreting them.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know,” Akko groused, swatting Diana’s book away. “Man, why do stars have to be so complicated?”

“Witches have been using them as a means of guidance for thousands of years.” Diana looked out toward the night sky. “Some may find it inaccurate or obsolete now, but I think it carries some merit.”

Akko snorted. “Considering the stars told you I was gonna leave Luna Nova, I can see where that claim comes from.”

“Nothing is ever set in stone—not even the stars.” Diana turned her nose up. “It’s feasible that you merely defied all odds against you.”

Akko smirked. “I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you very much.”

Diana rolled her eyes as Akko plopped down on the tower’s edge, staring out into the night sky. The dim glow from the Sorcerer’s Stone was the only thing illuminating the space around them—most lights in the school had already been turned off. As a result, the stars that painted the sky could be seen stretching across every corner of the universe.

“Y’know, I used to do this with my dad all the time,” Akko spoke up.

Diana raised a skeptical brow, taking a seat beside her. “Fortune telling?”

Akko chuckled, nudging Diana in the side. “No. Stargazing.”

Diana blushed at the contact, but it went unnoticed by Akko as she continued with, “We lived in the city where you could never really see the sky too well at night. So, we’d get in his car and drive out to this big open field. We’d spend hours just watching the stars together.”

“Is that so?”

“Uh-huh. We’d play this game where we’d try to make out different shapes with them.” Akko pointed to a particular set of stars hanging above them. “See? That one there sort of looks like a bunny, don’t you think?”

Diana squinted, following Akko’s finger. “I believe what you’re seeing is Aries, Akko…”

“No, no! None of that constellation stuff,” Akko chastised, pressing herself close so she and Diana were shoulder-to-shoulder. “Look closer!” She traced her fingers along the stars for Diana to see. “Those are the ears, and that there is the nose.”

“I…” Diana tilted her head, “suppose it could resemble a rabbit. Possibly.”

She didn’t quite understand. What Akko saw as a rabbit, supposedly, was Aries clear as day to her. Searching the sky, all Diana could make out were the dozens upon dozens of constellations she had spent a better portion of her life studying. There was nothing as silly as a rabbit to be seen anywhere.

Akko rolled her eyes. “We’ve really gotta work on your sense of fun, Diana.” She lit up, stretching out her arms. “Here, you try! What do you see?”

“Akko…”

“Just try!”

Diana sighed, searching the sky for anything that didn’t resemble Aries, or Ursa Major, or Cancer. Unfortunately, nothing particularly stuck out—nothing as creative as a rabbit, at least. She studied the areas between the constellations in an attempt to find something new—anything. A very small cluster faintly stood out against the rest. It certainly wasn’t extravagant, but she supposed it was _something_.

“A… circle?”

Akko deadpanned. “A circle.”

Diana flushed. “Y-you were the one who asked me what I saw.”

“Yeah, but you’ve gotta be more creative than that!” Akko puffed her cheeks. “You’re super smart! I know you can see more than a circle, Diana.”

Diana let out a small groan, looking back to the sky. She observed her apparent ‘circle’ a little harder, doing her best to make out something that would be more satisfying to Akko. However, only constellation after constellation stuck out to her. They were so ingrained within her that she knew they were distracting her from finding anything unique.

Akko stared, waiting patiently and never averting her gaze from Diana. She could practically feel Akko’s eyes digging into her, waiting for an answer. A blush began to crawl its way up Diana’s neck. She was unsure if it was from the pressure of needing to find something that would satisfy Akko, the embarrassment of being _unable_ to find something that would satisfy Akko, or the fact that Akko was so close that she could feel the heat radiating off of her.

Regardless of whatever the reason was, she needed to find something better than a circle, and fast before Akko caught on to how red her face was becoming. After another moment of observation, she noticed a set of lines that loosely resembled a triangle—it almost appeared as though her circle had a tail.

She paused. 

Lifting a finger, Diana pointed out into the sky. “Perhaps… a fish?”

“A fish?” Akko squinted, following Diana’s finger. She studied the sky, tilting her head one way and then the other. Diana waited with baited breath for her judgement. _Heavens_ , she detested the fact that she was waiting with baited breath over something so juvenile.

The things this girl did to her.

That was when Akko beamed, lifting her own finger to trace it along the stars. “Oh! I can see it! Those are the fins, and that’s the tail!”

Diana blinked. “I didn’t even see the fins.”

“That’s why you’ve gotta open your mind!” Akko giggled. “Okay, I’ll go next!”

One part of Diana wanted to tell Akko that was enough—that they needed to resume their studies if she really wanted to do well on the exam tomorrow. But another part of her, a much louder part of her, wanted to continue on playing this silly game.

Diana knew she was no good at it. She knew that she would likely continue on embarrassing herself with her lack of creativity. But the look on Akko’s face when she seemed to do _something_ right was enough to make her heart sing with joy.

So, with astrology homework forgotten, Diana ended up spending the following 20 minutes pointing out different shapes in the night sky with Akko. While Akko found elaborate dragons, unicorns, and some sort of Japanese demon Diana had never heard of, Diana found simpler shapes like a bird, a cat, and, at one point, a wand. Akko was especially pleased with that one, claiming that ‘now she was thinking creatively’.

The more shapes they pointed out, the more comfortable Diana became with the activity. She had always viewed the sky as something to be studied, rather than a canvas to paint images on—then again, that was the basis of constellations, wasn’t it? Either way, Akko was increasingly satisfied with each figure Diana spotted. Every smile Akko shot her way, or giggle that escaped her lips, left Diana feeling jubilant.

She truly enjoyed it.

“Hey, you’re really getting the hang of this,” Akko teased, nudging Diana in the side.

Diana huffed with a smile, brushing Akko off. “I have a good teacher.”

“Isn’t that usually my line?”

“Even I have room to learn a thing or two.”

Akko laughed, staring back to the sky. A comfortable silence filled the space between them, and as it did, Diana found herself stealing a glance at the girl beside her. She had a far-off look in her eyes that Diana could only describe as astral. It was as if she wasn’t looking at the stars themselves, but at something far beyond them.

Diana’s heart skipped a beat.

She was beautiful.

“Space really is massive, isn’t it?” Akko noted, pulling Diana from her thoughts. “I wonder what else is out there?”

Breathing to still her heart, Diana returned her gaze to the stars. “Many theories claim space is illimitable. I’m sure there are things out there neither you or I can comprehend.”

Akko gawked. “Diana, are you saying you believe in aliens?”

Diana scoffed. “I’m saying it would be foolish of us as a species to think we’re the only living things in a potentially endless universe.”

“Endless, huh?” Akko mused. She reached a hand out, grasping at the stars. “Makes me feel little.”

Diana’s gaze followed Akko’s hand. She could see herself, looking down on the world as Yggdrasil bloomed and spread. When the Shiny Rod disappeared from Akko’s grasp and drifted off into the Big Dipper, she had stared out into the depths of space. Stars that seemed as if they should have been within her reach from where she stood were still millions of lightyears away.

“I had the same thought back when we opened the Grand Treskellion.”

Akko blinked. “You did?”

Diana nodded. “Looking down on the rest of the world—watching Yggdrasil touch every part of the planet—that alone was humbling.” She fixed her gaze onto the Big Dipper. “But then to look out and see how expansive the rest of the universe that surrounds it all is…” She shook her head. “I suppose it put things into perspective for me.”

Akko cracked a smile. “Just two little witches restoring magic to one tiny planet in a great big galaxy.” She tilted her head with a shrug of her shoulders. “Kinda sounds meaningless, doesn’t it?”

Diana smiled back. “Is that how you feel?”

She already knew the answer.

Akko grinned and Diana’s heart fluttered. “Nah. Not in a million years.” She looked back out to the stars. “I’d do it all over again for a hundred other tiny planets if I had to.” Her eyes were shining. “Magic is worth it.”

Back then, despite how small she had felt while watching Yggdrasil blossom, and despite all of the emotions that had been coursing through her veins as her dreams came into fruition, Diana couldn’t keep herself from thinking how amazing Atsuko Kagari truly was.

This girl who Diana had dismissed as being a bothersome slacker stood beside her on the edge of the world, using the Grand Treskellion to revive magic to its original state. Her dream—her mother’s dream—was coming true because Akko believed with all her heart, and others believed in her. 

It felt too good to be true, but it was real.

“It almost feels like a dream, doesn’t it?” Diana inquired.

“A good dream?”

“The best dream.”

“I think so, too,” Akko agreed, scooting closer to Diana. She was warm. “It’s sort of crazy knowing you and I are the only people in the whole universe who got to see that for real. Makes it kind of special, huh?”

Diana laughed. “I believe ‘kind of’ is an understatement.”

“Okay. Super special, then,” Akko decided. Something in her expression changed. She looked wistful. “I know the whole thing was sort of bonkers, but… I’m glad you were there with me, Diana. I’m not sure I can ever thank you enough for believing in me.”

She had it backwards.

Down to her very core, Diana knew that _she_ was the one who could live a thousand lifetimes and never be able to repay Akko for all she had done. This wonderful, beautiful girl had opened the door for a new age of magic to flourish—something Diana had spent years only dreaming of. Despite everything that stood in her way, Akko had made those dreams real simply by being herself. 

Atsuko Kagari was the single most incredible person Diana had ever met. She had the ability to change the hearts of even the most insular people. She fought tooth and nail to help the ones she loved, even if they didn’t ask her to. She shined brighter than any of the constellations that hung in the sky above them. And Diana was certain that wherever Akko’s journey took her next, she would follow without hesitation.

She wondered if Akko knew how much she completely—hopelessly—adored her.

“There isn’t anything to thank me for,” Diana corrected quietly, placing a hand over Akko’s. “You make believing easy, Akko. And if you ever _did_ do it all over again, I would be there with you in a heartbeat.”

Akko’s smile softened. Diana’s heart soared. “I know you would.”

Of course she knew.

She had always known, hadn’t she?

The fact Diana had wondered at all was fatuous. It would have been impossible to experience everything that they had been through together and think otherwise.

And yet, Diana knew it wasn’t just about working together to reach the Cavendish family shrine. It wasn’t just about laying their vulnerabilities out to one another in a way neither had before at Last Wednesday Society. It wasn’t even just about using the Shiny Arc on the precipice of space to restore Yggdrasil.

No.

It was also about catching each others’ stolen, longing glances in class—even if only for a second. It was about the way their hands always seemed to accidentally touch, and the pause that lingered until one drew away. It was about the endless hours they spent talking and playing silly games that involved painting rabbits and fish in the sky.

All of those things, the grandiose and minute, could never have been interpreted as anything _but_ acts of complete and utter adoration.

She loved Akko.

“Hey, Diana?” Akko inched closer, her voice quiet. “Can I tell you something?”

She loved Akko with every piece of her heart.

Diana squeezed her hand. “Of course.”

And Akko loved her with every piece of hers that matched.

“I kinda wish I kissed you back then.”

There were no doubts. She didn’t need to think about it anymore.

“Then kiss me now.”

Akko didn’t hesitate, and neither did she. When their lips finally met, Diana couldn’t help but let a small, content sigh escape. It was like a weight was lifted off of her that she didn’t even know was there. Every ounce of emotion that she experienced poured out of her and into the kiss.

Akko’s lips were soft—much softer than she had imagined. She was warm and smelled like a mix of strawberries and mowed grass. Diana’s heart raced unlike it ever had before, and when Akko pulled away it panged in longing for more. It had been too short. She wanted it— _needed it_ —to go on. It was so long overdue, and she ached to make up for all of the lost time that had escaped them. 

Diana cupped Akko’s cheeks between her hands and leaned in again. Akko didn’t protest, pressing into the kiss and giving Diana’s arm a gentle squeeze. She lost track of how many times her lips met Akko’s, but every kiss felt as wonderful as the first. Every kiss felt _right_. She didn’t want it to end.

Just for that moment in time, every star in their universe had seemed to find its place.

* * *

_End._

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out [the art that noodlerama made](https://noodlerama.tumblr.com/post/627821031351107584/day-6-space-stars-dianakko-week-akko-and) for this story over on Tumblr!


End file.
